In Sapphire Eyes
by Mah-Xien
Summary: This story contains ZeroIris pairing and is on Zero's POV. R & R!


Mai: Oh boy, look what my imagination did to me again! It caused me to create another story - third story this week! - and to top it off, I'm too much into romance and drama so much...  
  
X: Don't worry about her, she's just rambling. She doesn't own me, or any of my buddies, and the Mega Man X series. Well, I get paid enough to ask Alia for another date tonight...  
  
~~  
  
IN SAPPHIRE EYES  
  
By: Mai a.k.a. Blast_Hornet  
  
~~  
  
It has been quite a while since the last battle - the attack on Laguz Island to be frank - and there has been peace for a good while. And I am here, rotting of no Maverick attacks, and well, training.  
  
It was quite hard fighting, but I never got to know the real reason as to why I seem to _enjoy_ the sight of fighting, like I am living in a world of pure destruction, which is partially true. Destruction isn't always the number one thing reploids have on their minds.  
  
And X and Iris are two of those reploids.  
  
X has been a great friend throughout the years, although I'm not one to blurt this out, but he was always the one who keeps me standing to my feet. He never like fighting at all, but it sticks to him like glue. After the first Maverick revolt led by Sigma, he was the one the whole world looked up at. And he looked up at me like I'm some hero that I'm really not. I am willing to bet my life again in the topic that X beats the Mavericks around us. Along with this, he usually breaks up unnecessary fights, and would regularly help around as his duty as a Maverick Hunter.  
  
Iris became our navigator during the Erasure incident. But even though she has that strictness, as it is her job, she is a very sweet girl, and no one could deny that she had been a great help not only to X and I, but to the Maverick Hunters as well. And to think she's still training for the Repliforce. The persons whom will she served under will be quite lucky. She has that strange aura of friendliness - almost the same as X's - that seemed to make me not lose sight of her. And to add, she doesn't want to see people fighting and dying for a lost cause.  
  
Along with the other reploid members of Maverick Hunters, I stood amongst them as their second leader, as their mentor and as a trainer. X is quite busy for certain details of this growing organization. And to add to the problem, I have this feeling that there will be another war coming up, a war that may cost the lives of many innocent reploids.  
  
As I continue fighting, I realize that there is a part of me that was somewhat erased, that there are several holes in my CPU that I needed to fill. Whatever it was, I have a feeling that it is from my unknown past. I have a feeling that the reason of my lust for fighting came from the past.  
  
What was in the past anyway? I need to focus on the present, not on the past that unknowingly became my shadow for life.  
  
I stand up, and walked out of the recharging bay, like I've just stirred up from a long dream. I need to check on my troops if they need any training for the day, as I don't want any #0 Special reploids to be living under a rock when it comes to fighting. I will never allow that as long as I am the unit commander.  
  
Seeing that they need no further training for that day, I dismissed them earlier, telling them to report once again the next day. As I've recall, X has an assignment that will not need my assistance, but I'll lend a hand even when not needed. I strided towards the control room, where I saw Iris on her usual spot on the controls, carefully monitor the progress done.  
  
Unit commanders who are to report their progress on their troops also use the control room, so I used this as an advantage from this point. I sat down on another chair beside Iris and began taking on my files.  
  
She noticed my arrival for a second and greeted me with a smile. I nodded back to her, and continue with my work. It is good that those large stocks of paperwork never existed in this century, or else I never got the chance to become a Maverick Hunter anyway. After finishing my log, I turned to Iris, who had sighed and placed her headset down, proclaiming that it won't need a genius to figure out what is really going on.  
  
I started an anonymous conversation with her, and there I realized that she has a good taste for conversation topics. She never loses a topic to talk about and will start one once the one before is finished. And there has been no doubt that she really is the Colonel's sister, with the slight lace of British in her voice.  
  
After a while, X came back, quite exhausted, but nothing like a good talk and walk could soothe everything. We spend the entire day on walking around MHHQ, and after, we let X rest for a while. That leaves Iris and I talking while going back to the control room.  
  
~~  
  
(Interruption from the author)  
  
Mai: Actually, I like the idea of letting them talk in a secluded control room, but this time, I'm not going to have plagiarism with my other fan fictions, so I'll make this up continuously...  
  
~~  
  
After another set of conversation, this time I'm annoyed that she's always the one who finds a topic, so I started most of the talk.  
  
There was one time that we talked about something, and Iris started to giggle. It sends large mutated butterflies fluttering in my stomach, and I felt my interior slowly melting. Oh man, how can a girl like her do that to me?  
  
That feeling make me want to throw all the past away, and it is like I want to talk to her forever; I want to live with her forever. But it is impossible, though. And I know I can't turn away from instinct. Sooner or later, something bad may happen, and I don't want those things to occur to Iris. She's the sweetest world to me, and seeing her die right before my eyes will be enough for me to question myself.  
  
After a good few minutes of talking, I decide to visit the Colonel. I want a good spar with him, and he's one of the versatile fighters around who handles a light saber. Taking Iris with me, we walked towards the Repliforce Headquarters. As I've heard, there are not many issues to deal with, so I'll take this to be able to talk to Colonel.  
  
We were at a steady distance at the Repliforce HQ when suddenly there was an earthquake. But the earthquake that has 4.5 on the Ritcher scale wasn't created by the plate tectonics, or whatever natural thing it came from, but from a Maverick. Another berserker, I deduced, taking out my light saber.  
  
Instructing Iris not to be involved, as she might get hurt, I ran towards the Maverick and rammed my weapon to it. To my surprise, the light saber only did a small damage. I then remembered that my buster can't function because I fell down a pitfall during Doppler's attack, causing it to malfunction. Muttering, I ran as far away from Iris as possible, diverting the Maverick's attention. How the heck am I supposed to deal with this?  
  
After fighting mano-a-mano with the Maverick, I felt my energy slowly going out! Looking at the enemy, I noticed him not paying attention. He's sucking out my energy! Oh man, this is not so good. I sank down on the ground. I saw Iris ready to run to my side, but I barked to her not to come near. She stopped, but the terrified expression never left her face.  
  
The Maverick slowly inched towards me. With good arm, he threw me at least five meters away. My energy is rapidly deteriorating. At this point, I can't hold on this, and Iris...  
  
I looked at Iris, who seemed to have already relayed an alarm at both Repliforce HQ and MHHQ. With these done, I was shocked to find that she ran towards me. The Maverick walked towards us. I told her that she better go run, but she enveloped me with her arms, slowly telling me that she can hold the Maverick from continuing to pummel me until back-up arrived.  
  
Running out of energy, I demanded her why should she do this. She answered me that she would rather die first than see me die. Slowly, she told me that if I die right now in the hands of this Maverick, this would allow her to question why she just stood there.  
  
This thought was the same as I am to her! Oh God, we were thinking the same thing! At my energy loss, I can't struggle out of her petite grasp. The Maverick was already at attack range. Before the attacks arrive, I felt Iris tighten her hold on me. She smiles on me, saying that at least she has done something to help me.  
  
The Maverick landed all his attacks on her, and I can feel her pain just by registering her expression. She bit her lip, somehow signaling me that she is not willing to cry out for pain. I am now helpless as I continue to watch my beloved being slowly tortured to death by this monster.  
  
For a few seconds, I noticed that the attacks stopped, and I heard a series of familiar plasma shots. After a while, my strength returned to me, and I saw X who finally destroyed the Maverick. I felt Iris' hold loosen, and I was shocked to find that she had suffered quite a lot. I took her in my arms, learning a moment later that she is unconscious.  
  
Fear plagued my systems. This can't be! No, she can't die right now, not now! But after a while, her systems activated again, and I can feel her artificial respiration returning to normal. X ran to us, telling that the Colonel is coming.  
  
When he finally arrived, the look on his face was as shocked as mine earlier. Taking his sister, we dashed towards Repliforce HQ. He took her into the infirmary, and we followed suit.  
  
Later, I found myself beside her capsule, my hand grasping hers. It is best not to learn of things too fast, as it may hurt me more and more each day. It is good that she survived, but what could've happened to me if she really died there?  
  
Placing another hand on her pale cheek, I said, almost inaudibly, "Rest, my love." Releasing my hold, I walked out of the infirmary. Taking this matter into my own hands will not be easy...  
  
~~  
  
Mai: Whew, what a fluffy story! And I have to pass this along with my other stories! Better move on! Reviews please! 


End file.
